1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to automatic main distributing frames and, more particularly, to automated apparatus for placing jumper wires between terminal connectors on such main frames.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Due to the high costs involved in the maintenance and operation of main distributing frames in telephone wire centers, there is an increasing interest in automating such maintenance and operation. One such automatic main frame system is shown in H. J. Friedrichsen et al U.S. Pat. 3,919,503, granted Nov. 11, 1975, and R. F. Bergeron et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,291, granted Aug. 31, 1976. This system utilizes automated mechanical actuators under computer control for establishing and terminating crossconnections on pinboard switches, thereby setting up and terminating electrical paths through the system. This system requires expensive printed wire pinboards as well as a mechanism for inserting and retracting the pinboards from receptacles in the main frame. Moreover, the pinboard arrangement permits cross-connections between only limited pairs of different terminations. This limited pairs of different terminations. This limited connectability of terminations, in turn, requires complicated switching networks (as shown in FIG. 2 of the Bergeron et al patent) in order to provide adequate connectability between a large number of input and output terminals.